When to Plan Your Destination Wedding in Costa Rica
Best and Worst Months
Congrats! You have decided on a breathtaking destination for your wedding. Costa Rica is amongst some of the most beautiful places in the world filled with everything imaginable from mountains to monkeys to salty waves. One more thing to check off the list. Now, when to get married in Costa Rica? There’s surprisingly more to consider than the weather, but let’s start there.
There are two seasons in Costa Rica - dry season and rainy season. It has taken me years of living here to finally get the feel for both because even in dry season there is rain and there can be super hot, dry days in rainy season too!
Dry Season: Mid-November to April (last several weeks longer in Guanacaste)
Rainy Season: May to Mid-November (with the exception of the Caribbean coast)
DRY SEASON
The dry season is an ideal time to get married because no matter how many people claim that rain on your wedding day is good luck, it can be extremely inconvenient for an outdoor wedding. (I speak from my own wedding experience in Costa Rica!) Skies are generally clearer throughout these months which makes for better pictures and video. In the central and southern regions, the flora thrives all year long, and some of the most beautiful blooms spring out toward the closing of the dry season. However, in the northern region, which receives the least amount of rain, it can get rather brown and dusty mid dry season. It is also hot! Nonetheless, it is this region that has the famous white sand beaches and crystal blue waters that Costa Rica is known for.
RAINY SEASON
Sweet, sweet rainy season (my personal favorite) comes in gradually beginning in May. During this time and through June as well, you get sunny, clear skies in the morning and light showers in the afternoons. Through July and August, the afternoon showers shift to a heavier rain. Then, boom! A little dry spell of sunshine happens. This sneaky “veranillo” can come at any point in July and August and lasts a couple of weeks. It is the calm before the storm followed by the heaviest rains of the year through September and October. On the Caribbean coast, however, this is the driest time of the year. Just as gradually as rainy season came in, it fades out once again in November lingering a little longer in the South Pacific.
Depending on where and what time of day you are planning to get married, the weather permits weddings year round. My advice? Just don’t stake the entire success of your day on dry weather. Costa Rica is, after all, a tropical country. The rain is what makes it so beautiful. Put a plan B in place in case it does start to drizzle so that you can keep your day as stress free as possible and the party can go on!
The second thing to factor is is high and low season. Both times have their pros and cons, but it is a good idea to balance these out with the type of wedding you want.
High Season: Mid-December through April & July through August
Low Season: May to June & September to Mid-November
HIGH SEASON
High season is the time when places are pretty much poppin’ with tourists and a couple times throughout the year even locals head out for a stay-cation. Easter week and the week before Christmas all the way through New Year are notoriously overcrowded, and it’s the only time of the year during which I would advise against getting married. Prices on everything, including airfare, are at their highest and availability at its lowest. Outside of those times, you can take advantage of the beautiful high season weather, but be sure to make all of your reservations way ahead of time.
Remember that “little summer” that pops up sometime in July or August I told you about earlier? Well, this time is also considered part of the high season. The tricky thing about planning a wedding during this time is that you are taking a gamble because you can’t know for sure when this short spurt of sunshine is going to come around. I got married in the San Jose province mid-July and wouldn’t have describe it as summer weather. In fact, the day started off cloudy, and by the time I was supposed to walk down the aisle it was pouring rain! Luckily, we had prepared with plenty of umbrellas on hand and a beautiful little transparent tent. Striding down through the grass aisle, surrounded by flowers as raindrops jumped and trickled down the tent, oh, it all felt so dreamy. About half way through the ceremony the skies cleared up, and we were all sweating!
LOW SEASON
During low season, on the other hand, you can snag a great deal while enjoying the fullness of the rich, green landscapes along with the bonus of less crowded beaches, hotels, and other tourist attractions. If you’re a last minute planner, this is your ideal window since there is greater availability. It is also an ideal time if you are on a tighter budget or want to make the trip more affordable for your guests. If you do decide on a low season wedding, May is probably the best month to do so. The weather is still relatively nice as rainy season is just beginning to approach while prices have already begun to fall.
All things considered, the best time of the year to have your Costa Rica destination wedding depends on what is most important to you. If you’ve always dreamed of having a sunset wedding on the beach then late January-April would be the best time (excluding Easter week). If you’re on a budget and a brunch reception suits you then May-August or Mid-November will do just fine. If you want a cozy indoor wedding that all your guests can afford then plan for September-October. Or if you want waves and sunshine and September-October are the only months that work for you, then you can head over to the Caribbean coast! There really are so many possibilities which is just another one of the reasons why Costa Rica makes for an amazing wedding destination and honeymoon location!